marks



N0. 67,|35. Patnfed July l2, |898. w. D. MARKS.

ELECTRIC METER.

(Appicaton led Nov. 4, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

f f f f f f f f 4 f f No. 607,185. Patented luly l2, |898.

W. D. MARKS.

ELECTRIC METER.

(Application med Nov. 4, 18ml) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

TH: mums crans co. Pnovaumo. wAsHmamN, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT TEICE.

WILLIAM D. MARIIs, on PHILADELPIIIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssICNoR rro 'ri-IEAMERICAN ELECTRIC METER CoMPANnor'sAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC IVlETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,185, datedJuly 172,1898'.

Y i `App1-icafifm filed November 4:, 1897. Serial No.' 657,344. (Nomodel.) A d To all whom, I? may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. MARKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at. Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and 5 State ofPennsylvania, have inventedal certain new and useful Improvement inElectric Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in xo electric meters ofthe typedescribed in Letters Patent No. 571,032, datedNovember 10, 1896. In thatvariety of meters an ampereindicator Yis employed for indicating the-number of amperes of current, which ampere-indi- I 5 cator controls theposition of an eccentric arch, the latter acting as a variablelimiting-stop forone direction of movement of a pawl-carrying arm orframe operating the registering mechanism, said pawl-carrying arm orframe 2o being moved always to the same extent inv the oppositedirection by an oscillating 'motor or pendulum having a constant rate ofInovenient. The position ofthe eccentric arch depending upon. theamperes determines the ex- 2 5 tent of movement of the paWl-carrying armor frame and the consequent movement ofl the registering mechanism. Mypresent improvements relate to' means by which, in a meter of the typereferredto, 3o an indication may be given of the maximum amperes whichhave iniiuenced the meter bejtween the usual periods of'iuspection. Theobjects of the invention are to provide means for this purpose whichwill be cheap, 3 5 effective, capable of easy'reading,and which may bereadily applied to and removed from the meters referred to.

Fora bettercomprehensionof my invention attention is directedA to theaccompanying 4o drawings, forming a part of this specification, and inwhich Figure lisa vertical sectional view through an electric meter ofthe type referred to, illusy trating, however, only those paris whichneed 45 be shown to offer a correct understanding of -the inventionVapplied thereto; Fig. 2,'a corresponding view, on an enlarged scale, ofthe principal operative parts of the sameform of indicator; Fig. 3, afront view of the dial for 5o the indicator illustrated in Figs. 1` and2; Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view of a modified form of indicator;Fig.' 5, a's'ection on theline 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6,a verticalsectional view of a further modification; Fig. 7, a section on the line7 7'of Fig. G; .'Fig..8, a vertical sectional view of a stilljfurthermodification, illustrating electrical meansl for operating theindicator; and Fig. 9,a rear view of the same, the solenoid of theindicator being shown in section.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by thesame lnumerals of reference. -T

ter,containin g the operative parts, as referred to in said patent, andprovidedl with a removable frontior cover 2. Mounted within the casing lis a supporting-frame 3, which carries the mechanism of the meter.

4 4 represent solenoids in circuit with the line, two of said solenoidsbeing used with a three-wire system in the outside main conductors, loutonly one of said solenoids being necessary with a two-wire system.Mounted upon a shaft 5 in the frame 3 are the two cores 6 G, whichcooperate with the solenoids 4 4 and which with said solenoids form asimple type of ampere-indicator.

7 represents the eccentric arch, the position of which is determined bythe quantity' of current flowing through the solenoid or solenoids 4,which arch is rigidly connected with the shaft 5, as will be understood.

8 'represents a pointer for indicating the amperes upon a suitable'scale9, as in ordinary ampere-meters. In' order that themeter may bemaintained in the necessary vertical position, a plumb-bob lO isemployed, suspendedfrom a post Il, carried by the main frame 3, or inany other way.

The elements which have so far been described are common in the type ofmeter to which reference has been made.

The present` invention relates to means which coperate with or which areunder the control of a moving element of the ampereindicator-such, forinstance, as -one or the other of the cores 6, the arch 7, or thepointer 8, by which will'be indicatedtlie maximum position to which saidelement has moved between any given periods of inspection.

l represents the inclosing casing of the Iue- 'By preference theindicator forming the subject of the present invention eithermechanicallycoperates with the pointer 8 or is under the controlthereof.

Mounted upon the cover 2 of the casing 1 is a supplemental case or box12, having a boss 13, which is seated in an opening in said cover and bywhich the supplemental case or box will be sustained in place. Ifdesired, however, said supplemental case may be applied in position bymeans of screws orsecured in any other suitable way. The supplementalcase 12 is provided with a glass front 14, through which may be observeda scale 15, indicating the amperes which may infiuence the apparatus.

16 is a shaft mounted in the boss 13, so as to turn easily therein, andwhich carries a supplemental or maximum-load pointer 17 at its outerend, which pointer registers with the scale 15. The shaft 16 is providedwith a downwardly-extending finger 18, which is arranged in the path ofmovement of a shoulder or bend 19, formed in the pointer 8, whereby whensaid pointer is moved by the attraction of the cores G it will engagethe finger 1S, so as to partially rotate the shaft 16 and swing thesupplemental pointer 17 relatively to the scale l5 and indicate uponsaid scale `the number of amperes which have passed through theapparatus to effect such movement. In order that the finger 17, when ithas thus been moved, may occupy the position to which it has beenbrought by the action of the ampereindicator, the bearing of the shaft16 within the boss may be slightly frictional, or instead and preferablya spring 20 is employed, which is carried by the shaft 16 and is bentback upon itself with the free end iu engagement with the boss 13,whereby the desired friction will be obtained, so as to prevent anyaccidental return movement of the supplemental pointer 17. Tofurtherincrease this friction al engagement,the boss 13 may be slightlyroughened, corrugated, or knurled. InV order that the shaft 1G may passthe cord of the plumbbob 10 and at the same time to allow thesupplemental case or box 12 to be centrally arranged on the meter forappearance sake, the said shaft 16 is provided with a curved "portion 21therein, which clears said cord, it being understood that the maximummovement of said shaft is never greater than forty-five degrees, so thatthe curved portion thereof will be always free from engagement with saidcord.

The operation of the improved maximumload or ampere indicator will bereadily understood and is as follows: As the ampere-in dicator of theelectric meter is operated to register the quantity of current or th'enumber of amperes influencing the meter the pointer 8 will becorrespondingly moved relatively to the scale 9, said pointer engagingthe finger 18, partially rotating the shaft 16, and moving thesupplemental pointer 17 relatively to the scale 15. It' the quantity ofcur rent decreases, the pointer 8 retreats from the `linger 18 withoutaffecting it; but if the quantity of current is increased a furtherengagement between the pointer 8 and the iinger 18 will be effected,thereby moving the supplemental pointer 17 to a further extent andindicating the increased current which may have influenced the meter.Under all conditions, therefore, the supplemental index 17 willrepresent the maximum current which at any moment during a given periodof time may have passed through the meter, and it will offer aconvenient means by which the inspector of the meter may ascertain themaxi- 'mum number of amperes which may have been registered by the same.The employment of myimproved maximumdoad indicator does not in any waydisturb or affect the operation of the pointer 8, which, as heretofore,indicates the amperes in the meter at any given time.

After the meter has been inspected the supplemental pointer let isreturned to Zero in any suitable way-such, for example, as by removingthe glass cover let and turning said supplemental pointer backward byVhand.

Instead of making use of the supplemental pointer 17 for indicating themaximum number of amperes the modified .arrangement illustrated in Figs.i and 5 may be employed. lVith such modification the shaft 1G carries atoothed arc 22, which engages a pinion 23 on a shaft 24, the lattercarrying a supplemental pointer 25,which registers with va circularscale, as willbe understood. The latter form of indicator possesses anadvantage over the arrangement first described, inasmuch as thesupplemental pointer travels over a larger scale, and hence issusceptible of closer reading.

In Fig. 6 a still further modification ofthe invention is illustrated.In this 'ligure the shaft 16 is not provided with an arm 18, as in theother two forms of my invention, but instead is provided with adownwardly-extending supplemental pointer 2G, having an inturned lowerport-ion 27 arranged in the path of movement of the lower end of thepointer 8. By means vof the latter arrangeA ment the maximum-loadindicator coperates with the same scale i) as the pointer 8 of theampere-indicator. With the device shown in Fig. 6 the supplemental boxor caso 12 may be dispensed with, the boss 13 being simply screwed intothe cap or outer plate 2 and being provided with a hollow projection 28,having a light sheet-metal cap 29, which can be removed, so as todisclose the end of the shaft 16. In the modification illustrated inthis figure, instead of employing a spring 20, which frictionallyengages with the boss 13, as in the other two forms, I employ aspring-pawl 30, carried by the shafty IOO IIO

return movement. After the meter has been inspected and when it isdesired to return the supplemental pointer 26 to the zero position thecap 29 is removed, so as to disclose the end of the shaft 16, which ispressed inward, so as to disengage the pawl 30 from the teeth 31. -Theshaft can then be turned so as to bring the supplemental pointer 26 backto its original position, after which the shaft 16 is moved outward, soas to again engage the pawl 30 with 4the teeth 31. In order to allow ofthis latter movement, the inner edge of the boss 13 is cut away at 32,so as to form an inclined portion up which the pawl 30 may ride intoengagement with the teeth.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I show a still further modification of the device,which differs from the forms above described in the important respectthat the pointer of the ampere-indicator or other element connectedtherewith controls the position and extent of movement of thesupplemental pointer without, however, mechanically effecting suchmovement, so that there will be absolutely no retardation to themovement of the ampere-indicator and absolute accuracy will therefore besecured. IVith this form of my invention the shaft 16 carries a toothedarc 22, engaging a pinion.

23 on a shaft 24, carrying asupplemental pointer 25, as in themodification.illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5; but manifestly the said shaft16 may be directly connected with the snpplemental pointer, as in theother forms of the device. Upon the inner end of said shaft is mountedan insulating hub or collar 33, from which depends a contact-finger 34,arranged in the path of movement of the shoulder on the pointer S of theampere-indicator. Mounted above the shaft 16 and supported in anysuitable way is a solenoid 35, with which a curved core 36 cooperates,said core being connected to the shaft 16, as shown. The core 36 isbalanced by weights 37 37, so as to remain stationary in any position towhich it may have been moved; but in order that the possibility ofaccidental derange- Inent thereof may be overcome the said core carriesthe light spring 3S, engaging frictionally with the boss 13. In' orderto prevent overthrow or false travel of the supplemental pointer, thesolenoid 35 is preferably closed at the rear end, at 39, and the core 36yis provided with a vane 40, working closely within the bore of thesolenoid, like an ordinary dash-pot. Current is adapted to be sup--plied to the solenoid 35 when the pointer S makes contact with thecontact-finger 34. Then used, for instance, with a three-wire system,one terminal of the meter will be connected to one end of thesolenoid-coil,the other end thereof being connected, as shown, with thecontact-finger 34, andthe pointer 8 and frame of the meter will be incircuit with the neutral wire. IVit-h a two-wire system one of the mainswill be connected to one end of the solenoid-coil, and the other mainwill be in circuit with t-he pointer S, as will be understood. In eitherinstance or if a separate source of supply, such as a battery, should beused there will of course be sufficient resistance in the circuit forthe purpose-'for instance, by mak-ing the solenoid-coil of very finewire.

The operation of this form of my invention is the contact-finger 34 andthe pointer S, at

which moment the movement of the core will cease. If the pointer 8retreats from the contact-linger, due to a drop in the number ofamperes, the supplemental pointer will be unaected; but if the number ofamperes is increased the pointer S will again engage the contact-finger34, causing the solenoid 35 to be again engaged and resulting in aconsequent further 'movement of the supplemental pointer. NVith thisform of device it will be seen, therefore, that the' pointer or index ofthe ampere-indicator is in no way retarded or affected by thesupplemental pointer, so that absolute accuracy may be obtained.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The combination with an electric meter wherein is used anampere-indicator, of a supplemental pointer the movement of which in onedirection is effected or controlled by said ampere indicator, and meansfor preventl'OO ing return movement of said supplemental.

pointer, substantially as set forth.

shaft being provided with a curved portion for passing the cord of saidplumb-bob, and a supplemental pointer carried by said shaft,

vsubstantially as set forth.

4. The combination with an electric meter wherein is employed anampere-indicator, of a pointer carried by said ampere-indicator, asupplemental pointer for indicating the maximum amperes which may beregistered by said ampere-indicator, and connections between saidsupplemental pointer and the pointer of the ampere-indicator,substantially as set forth.

5. In an electric meter wherein is used an IIO ampere-indicator, thecombination of a shaft, a finger on said shaft engaged by an elementconnected with said ampere-indicator, and a supplemental pointeroperated by said shaft, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination With an electric meter wherein is used anampere-indicator, of a shaft, connections between said shaft and said ampere-indicator, a supplemental pointer operated by said shaft, and aspring for preventing return movement of said shaft, substantially asset forth.

7. An improved maximum-load or ampere indicator coperatingwith anelectric meter, comprising a supplemental index movable only in onedirection by said meter and cooperating Wth a suitable scale,substantially as set forth.

S. A'maXimum-load or ampere indieatorcooperating with electric meters,comprising a shaft, connections between saidshaft and the meter by whichthe shaft will he turned in one direction only, and a supplementalfinger connected to said shaft and cooperating with a scale,substantially as set forth.

This specifi cation signed and witnessed this 28th day of October, 1897.

. XVM. D. MARKS.

lVitn esses:

JOHN Il. HUDSON, GEORGE W. RUE.

